Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about running a graphic design project, buying Hatchwise Unlimited, and getting paid as a creative. A standard contest has a guaranteed 10 day entry window, logo projects start at $99 and Hatchwise Unlimited starts at $449 a month with no contracts. If your question is not covered here, contact our support team.
Getting started
What is Hatchwise?
Hatchwise is a graphic design service that connects businesses with a global community of professional creatives. You post a brief, creatives submit original concepts against it, and you pick the one you want to own. Hatchwise has been operating since 2008 and is rated 4.8 out of 5 on Trustpilot.
What kind of work can I get done?
Logo design and brand identity, website and landing page design, custom graphic design, business cards and stationery, t-shirt and apparel graphics, brochures and banner ads, character and mascot design, and naming work such as company names, taglines and domains. Scope is graphic design and naming, not video, copywriting, motion or web development.
How do I start a project?
Write a brief describing the work you need and your audience, set a budget, and publish it. Creatives start submitting custom concepts right away, and you rate entries and request changes while the project is live.
How long does a project take?
A standard per project contest has a guaranteed 10 day submission window, during which creatives submit entries and you request revisions. You can award a winner at any time while the contest is active, on any project, so it can finish in a day or two once you see work you like. A 48 Hour Rush add-on is also available for standard contests that need faster results.
Can I extend a contest after it ends?
Yes. You can extend a contest once it ends if you want to see more entries or request changes to an existing one. There is a small fee per extra day, and extensions are free on Gold and Custom tiers and on Hatchwise Unlimited.
Pricing and payment
How much does a project cost?
Logo design projects start at $99, all inclusive, which covers the prize paid to the winning creative. Higher priced packages come with a larger prize, which typically attracts more entries and more experienced creatives. Full pricing for every category is on the pricing page.
What is the $49 listing fee?
Every contest package price already includes a $49 listing fee, and the rest of the price is the prize paid to the winning creative. On a $99 logo package, $49 is the listing fee and $50 is the prize. It is not a separate product or a cheaper alternative to running a contest.
What is the 48 Hour Rush?
The 48 Hour Rush is an add-on for standard contests that compresses the submission window, so you get results in 48 hours instead of the standard 10 days.
How much does Hatchwise Unlimited cost?
Hatchwise Unlimited is a flat monthly plan starting at $449 for teams that need design work continuously. You can cancel anytime, and there are no long-term contracts.
Is there a refund if I am not happy?
Yes. Hatchwise has a money back guarantee on standard contests, and first time Hatchwise Unlimited subscribers can request a full refund in writing within 14 days of their first contest being started. Full terms are on the guarantee page.
How are additional designs priced?
Creatives can allow you to buy additional entries once you have awarded a first place winner. Additional designs cost $100 each, if the creative has made that entry available.
Running a project
Do I have to give feedback on every entry?
You are not required to, but it is in your best interest. Your comments and ratings are visible to everyone in your contest and help guide creatives toward the concept you actually want.
Can creatives see each other's entries?
By default, yes, all entries are visible to everyone in the contest. You can select the blind contest option when starting your project so creatives can only see their own entries.
Will my project be shown publicly?
Projects are listed publicly on Hatchwise by default. You can select the private contest option when you start your project to hide it from users who are not logged in, without affecting participation.
What happens if someone submits clipart or unoriginal work?
Only original work is allowed. Marketing collateral and web design entries may use disclosed stock elements such as photos and icons, but everything else must be the creative's own work. Flagged entries are removed and repeat offenders lose their accounts. You should still do your own due diligence, including consulting a trademark attorney, before using any awarded work commercially.
How do I write a good brief?
Include the style you want, examples of designs or names you like or dislike, your target audience and your company focus. The more information you provide, the better the entries you will receive.
Awarding and rights
Can I award a winner before the contest ends?
Yes, you can award a winner at any time while your project is active, on a standard contest and on Hatchwise Unlimited alike. Awarding simply ends the contest. The 10 day window is the guaranteed time for entries to arrive, not a wait before you can award. Separately, a refund under the money back guarantee requires the contest to run its full length with no winner awarded.
Who owns the entries submitted to my project?
Each creative retains full rights to their entries unless you select one as the winner or purchase it as an additional entry. Once you award a winner and they upload final files, full commercial rights transfer to you. Hatchwise and the creative retain only the right to display the work in their portfolios and marketing.
What files do I receive when I award a winner?
For design contests you receive the original layered source file plus common formats such as .jpg, .png, .tiff, .eps and .pdf. For naming contests you receive the winning entry as a text file.
How long does the award and delivery process take?
After you award a winner, Hatchwise staff verify the award, which usually takes a few hours and up to 48 hours. Once verified, the creative has up to 48 hours to upload final files, though this is often much faster.
Do I get to stay in touch with the winning creative?
Yes. Once the winner uploads your final files, you receive their basic contact information so you can reach out for follow up work.
Hatchwise Unlimited
What is Hatchwise Unlimited?
Hatchwise Unlimited is a monthly subscription for ongoing graphic design, starting at $449 a month, built for teams that need design work continuously rather than one project at a time. It includes a dedicated project manager, free upgrades and extensions, and phone support.
Can I cancel Hatchwise Unlimited?
Yes, you can cancel at any time and there are no contracts. Cancellation and subscription modification requests must be made in writing at least 24 hours before your renewal date.
Is there a refund for Hatchwise Unlimited?
First time subscribers can request a full refund of the subscription fee if they cancel and request a refund in writing within 14 days of their first contest being started. If a refund is issued, rights to any winning designs awarded during that period revert to Hatchwise. Renewal payments are not refundable.
Do Unlimited contests run for 10 days like standard contests?
Projects run the same way, with the same guaranteed entry window, and on both you can award a winner at any time while a project is active. The difference is that Hatchwise Unlimited lets you run projects back to back on a subscription instead of buying them one at a time.
For creatives
How do designers and namers get paid?
Creatives are paid the prize amount when their entry is awarded. Payouts are issued twice a month, on the 1st and the 14th, via PayPal. If a payment date falls on a weekend or holiday, it is paid the next business day.
Can creatives get paid any other way besides PayPal?
No. PayPal is currently the only payout method available to creatives.
Can I use templates or clipart in my entries?
No. Entries must be your own original work. The exception is marketing collateral and web design entries, which may use disclosed stock photos, icons or other pre-existing assets as long as the source is disclosed in a comment right after submission.
What happens if my account is terminated?
Accounts are terminated for submitting clipart or unoriginal work. This keeps the community fair for creatives who invest real time in original concepts.
Can I withdraw an entry I submitted?
You can withdraw an entry once the submission period is over or a winner has been awarded, from the contest's entry list.
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